Master-ful field for Western Am

August 02, 2006|STEVE WOZNIAK Tribune Staff Writer

BENTON HARBOR -- If the U.S. Amateur is like the U.S. Open for amateurs, then the Western Amateur must be its Masters. Notre Dame golfer Cole Isban is returning to the top amateur tournament which begins today at Point O'Woods Golf & Country Club, and knows his competition will be fierce. "Everyone thinks the U.S. Am has a better field in the tournament, but honestly, I think the guys out here in the Western Am are just as good," Isban said during Tuesday's practice rounds. Isban last year advanced to match play before losing in the round of 16 to Randy Lowry of Spring, Texas, 5-and-3. Ironically, Isban will get to play in the same group as Lowry for the first two rounds of this year's event. Is it payback time? "Stroke play doesn't really matter, as long as you get to match play," said Isban. "Yeah, I want to beat him, but I want to make sure I get to match play." Isban tees off No. 1 at 1:23 today with Lowry, before starting off No. 10 on Thursday at 8:33. Isban's Irish teammate, Adam Gifford from Plymouth, is making his Western Amateur debut today, and is also aware that this week's event is a few steps up from dual meets against other Midwest colleges. "I figured it'd be a good opportunity to see how my game matches up with the other best amateurs," said Gifford. "It's good experience to go out on the range and check out all the golf bags of the top golf schools that are dominant year after year. I'm just watching how they practice and how they prepare for a top tournament." But he's keeping his goals in perspective. "You make the top 50, you've had a good two days," said Gifford. "Anything more than that is just icing on the cake. You want to win, but you have to be realistic." Something in Stillwater Oklahoma State, the NCAA men's golf champion, has just about its whole team at the Western Am, including NCAA individual champion Jonathan Moore. Moore also advanced to match play at the Western Am last year, before losing to this year's U.S. Junior Amateur champion, Philip Francis. So how would a Western Am title match up with the NCAA trophy? "If I win this week, it's all for myself," Moore pointed out. "If I win at nationals and help my team, it's cool. It means a lot more." Moore is being joined this week by fellow Cowboys Tyler Leon, Trent Leon, Pablo Martin and Ryan Posey. Even assistant coach Alan Bratton, who played in the Western Am back in the '90s and recently won the Oklahoma Amateur, is joining in the action. Bratton was even outdriving some of his charges during Tuesday's practice round. Hot stuff With the heat wave gripping the area, Western Golf Association officials waived the ban on players wearing shorts for only the second time in the last 20 years. Asked the difference between the course this year and last year, Isban only responded, "It's a lot hotter this time." Tour officials will have bottled water and fruit at every other hole through Friday to help prevent dehydration. During Tuesday's practice rounds, temperatures crept into the high 90s and the heat index hovered around 110. Today's forecast is for slightly cooler conditions, with a high around 90. The World Amateur? In 2000, Michael Kirk from South Africa became the first and only Western Amateur champion from outside the U.S. or Canada. That hasn't deterred a bevy of internationals from trying this week. There are players in this week's field from Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Germany, Spain, Argentina and Malaysia.